Huddersfield Giants sign Dale Ferguson

The 22 year old met the Club's Managing Director Richard Thewlis late last night after an agreement had been reached with the club's administrators to release his registration for an undisclosed fee during the day and Ferguson had no hesitation in putting pen to paper to start training as a Giant this morning.

The Scottish International who started for the Wildcats on Saturday with two tries told www.giantsrl.com that the move really came out of the blue:

"I got a call late last night to meet with my manager and Richard and it didn't take me long at all to take the plunge and join a club that everyone in the game can see is ambitious and wants to challenge for honours. It's sad to be leaving Wakefield the fans have given me such great support throughout my time there and especially in the recent difficult circumstances. I did speak immediately to John Kear who has done so much for my career bringing me to this point and to whom I owe a great deal. Hopefully my leaving can in some way help to bring all the uncertainty at the club to an end and they can get on with rebuilding and focusing on playing Rugby not the off field dramas that have been so difficult for everyone there."

"My opportunity to join this club was one I could not turn down because I genuinely believe the Giants have a great squad and Nathan Brown and his staff have a fantastic reputation within the game and I am looking forward to working with them. I already know a few of the lads here such as Broughy (Danny Brough) and Kirmo (Danny Kirmond) and know I face a fight to get a start in the side but it's a challenge I want, it will freshen me up and I am very, very excited."

Giants Managing Director Richard Thewlis said the opportunity to acquire Ferguson was too tempting to miss out on: "Yes it was a late move yesterday but Dale has been on this club's radar for a long time and simply the chance to add him into our squad now was too good to miss out on. He is a young British back rower who we believe will flourish in our environment and has much to look forward to working with Nathan and his team both in the short and long term. He was very keen to get here and pull on the claret and gold whilst being respectful of his previous club's position and I feel has conducted himself with great professionalism in a trying time. His joining and that of Jamie Simpson brings excellent depth and quality to the squad which will enable us to further explore some loan options for our crop of exciting younger players who need the challenges of first grade rugby where possible to accelerate their development which again can only be good for our club."

Thewlis also confirmed to www.giantsrl.com that there remained no return date for Kiwi Jamahl Lolesi who is still recovering from back surgery: "No, Jamahl's situation injury wise has not changed and he continues to work within the club whilst waiting to see if this problem will ever clear up. Its worth pointing out too that Dales arrival will finish the 2011 squad by taking us to near the cap limit. Our list of ins and outs from last year coupled with the retentions long term of a good number of our young British home grown players shows that we have a very strong long term nucleus of mainly British players which can only be good.